Transformational leadership and the secondary school principal
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to establish a link between transformational leadership behavior in principals and increased student learning, as measured by Indiana's annual achievement test. A secondary concern was to determine if transformational leadership led to increased levels of satisfaction, perceived effectiveness, and willingness to expend effort among the teachers of such principals. This study was conducted in Indiana high schools of a grade 9 to 12 configuration. The sample was stratified in terms of student socioeconomic status and cognitive ability for schools which tested above or below state-identified expectations. Data were gathered from Lead Teachers via a voluntary completion of Bass and Avolio's Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire Form 5X. The data were analyzed using a Cronbach's alpha, Pearson correlation coefficients, a general linear model for analysis of variance, and Tukey means tests. Transformational leadership was not found to be linked to increased student learning across the overall sample which did not control for contextual factors. It was concluded that transformational leadership was linked to increased student learning in the highest strata of SES and cognitive ability. There was no link between transformational leadership and student achievement in the lowest strata of contextual factors. It was concluded that transformational leadership produced increased teacher satisfaction with the principal's leadership across contextual backgrounds, produced a greater teacher perception of principal effectiveness across contextual backgrounds, and created a willingness in teachers to give extra effort regardless of their school's contextual factors. Collectively, the six hypotheses of this study led to the following conclusions for secondary education when considering the impact of transformational leadership and student achievement. First, transformational leadership is exercised by principals in secondary schools of both high and low contextual backgrounds. Second, a high degree of transformational leadership is seen as superior by the principals' teachers in producing satisfaction with the school's leadership, causing a heightened perception of effectiveness with the school's leadership, and producing a greater willingness to give an extra effort for the school's leader.
Degree
Ph.D.
Advisors
Kline, Purdue University.
Subject Area
School administration
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